Ahead of the Terry Fox Run in Legacy Park Sunday morning, residents from the several different Green Acres Foundation communities gathered Friday to take part in their own Terry Fox run.
Terry Fox’s uncle, also named Terry Fox, took part in the Green Acres Foundation event and says he hopes that his nephew is remembered and his legacy continues “forever and ever.”
“Because of what he’s done and what he started is phenomenal,” Fox says. “It gets people together, gets people thinking and realizing that we all have to help each other.”
Fox praises those who continue to donate, as he is also battling cancer and adds he plans to continue taking part in the walks and speaking at schools.
“I do this for many reasons, I’m lucky to be here and it’s probably because of my nephew and people who donate their money to research.”
This year is the 43rd anniversary of the Marathon of Hope, which started with Terry Fox’s goal of jogging across Canada to raise funds for cancer research. Fox ran for 143 day straight, jogging roughly 42 kilometers a day, before his leg cancer spread to his lungs. Every year across Canada hundreds of events are held on the third Sunday of September, dedicated to Fox and continuing what he started.
During the 143 days Fox ran the Marathon of Hope, he raised more than $27 million for cancer research and in the years since the Terry Fox Foundation has raised more than $850 million for cancer research.
The Lethbridge event is aiming to raise $6,000 for the Terry Fox Foundation and as of Friday morning raised $3,300. Registration will begin at 10 a.m. Sunday, September 17th with the run starting at 11 a.m.
With files from Kass Patterson